David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite! discussion
Author Q&A
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Jonathan Maberry (Author of the Benny Imura series) Q&A Event--June 22-25th
Jonathan wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Where did you come up with the idea of the Zombie Trading Cards? Those were seriously one of my fave things in the books!"Jenny wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "I'm currently sitting on my ..."
Sorry if someone already asked this, do you think you could eve get someone to actually make the cards to buy? And if they already have and I'm in outer space somewhere, where could you get them :-)
That will probably happen closer to the release of the movie. And, most likely Zombie Cards will be a collectible card game.
Jonathan wrote: "QUESTION: From Sherrie--Which character in the Benny Imura series do you identify most closely with? ANSWER: Benny’s experiences and attitudes are based on my our journey. When I was a kid I was ..."
I'm sorry to hear about your life that way, but you got out of that where a lot can't and created some wonderful books with those morals!
Life is a series of opportunities to learn and grow.
Mod
Speaking of this, I read this and was instantly horrified!! Are ALL the zombies in your Benny Imura world going through this?
I love all of the characters, but Lilah is my favorite. Is there any particular reason you created this character other than being bad to the bone ?
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At Phoenix ComiCon, you revealed a bit of news to me about a possible Fall of Night movie? Can you share with the members?
Jonathan wrote: "That will probably happen closer to the release of the movie. And, most likely Zombie Cards will be a collectible card game."AWESOME! Thank you
Melissa wrote: "I love all of the characters, but Lilah is my favorite. Is there any particular reason you created this character other than being bad to the bone ?"I taught women's self defense for thirty years and have seen how some girls and women come through horrific life circumstances to rise and become powerful. Lilah is based on several girls and young women I've had the pleasure to teach.
Karen wrote: "What's your typical day, Jonathan? If you have such a thing?At Phoenix ComiCon, you revealed a bit of news to me about a possible Fall of Night movie? Can you share with the members?"
First, the FALL OF NIGHT movie is still in 'discussions'. We'll seen what happens.
As for my typical day... I generally go out to write in the morning. I like the feel of 'going to to work', even though it's to a local Starbucks, Paneras or one of m favorite breakfast places. In all of my regular spots the staff there know to leave me alone. I write for about four hours, then go to the pool and do some fitness training for an hour or so. Then I come home and work in my office there for the the rest of the day.
I write at least eight hours each day, and I reserve ten minutes out of each hour for social media.
I write 3-4k words per day. On weekends I cut that in half.
At the moment I'm writing between 4-5 books per year, plus short stories and comics; and I travel a lot.
Jonathan wrote: "Melissa wrote: "I love all of the characters, but Lilah is my favorite. Is there any particular reason you created this character other than being bad to the bone ?"I taught women's self defense ..."
That is just the greatest thing. I'm so glad you taught that class. I used to take Kali before my medical issues. My instructor always believed in pushing to teach more women due to being a cop and seeing too many bad things.
Now I love Lilah even more. Thank you for sharing.
I started in traditional Japanese Jujutsu when I was six and was a martial arts and self-defense instructor most of my life. 51 years and counting. I also ran Temple University's Martial Arts Department (in their Phys Ed college) for 14 years.
Jonathan wrote: "I started in traditional Japanese Jujutsu when I was six and was a martial arts and self-defense instructor most of my life. 51 years and counting. I also ran Temple University's Martial Arts Depar..."That is just awesome!! I love the martial arts world. I'm just out of the running. My instructor came to the house for awhile last year to do modification Kali with me since I don't leave house but for Dr appts. It went pretty good but couldn't keep up. I did some Kung Fu and sword in the regular class as well. Tried the Jujitsu for about 2days. My bones couldn't handle that and now with fibro and arthritis I can see why.
That is really cool that you trained and incorporated it into the book.
Yeah, I'm in a lower gear myself. Arthritis and a knee replacement. Plus I got hurt a lot while working as a bodyguard. Stabbed, run over, chopped in the shoulder with a meat cleaver. Not as much fun as it sounds.
Jenny wrote: "I am too Harlee!! Huge fan here! Loved the Benny Imura series, really need to read Joe Ledger and Fall of Night!"The books DEAD OF NIGHT and FALL OF NIGHT, even though they're written for adults, are the prequel to the ROT & RUIN series. They explain how the world ended.
Melissa wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Where did you come up with the idea of the Zombie Trading Cards? Those were seriously one of my fave things in the books!"Jenny wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "I'm current..."
The Zombie Cards will likely be released closer to the debut of the movie. So that's a couple of years off.
Karen wrote: "ANSWER: Only one of my books ever gave me nightmares: DEAD OF NIGHT. There is a subplot in it involving the consciousness of each zombie victim lingering inside the living dead. The person can feel..."Yes. Though it's not addressed in the ROT & RUIN books. You only know that if you read DEAD OF NIGHT and FALL OF NIGHT.
Jonathan wrote: "Yeah, I'm in a lower gear myself. Arthritis and a knee replacement. Plus I got hurt a lot while working as a bodyguard. Stabbed, run over, chopped in the shoulder with a meat cleaver. Not as much f..."Good Lord!!! I don't think I would want to have been a body guard unless I was supernatural !! A meat cleaver!! People are insane!! Well at least you have some interesting stories to tell in real life besides in your books. A meat cleaver. I just can't get over it.
There is a 5th ROT & RUIN book coming out on September 22: BITS & PIECES is a collection of short stories that parallels the four novels. It starts with Tom Imura on First Night and then follows several other characters as they deal with the zombie apocalypse. http://books.simonandschuster.com/Bit...
I have Dead of Night and Fall of Night. I need to get started on those!!!I have the first Joe Ledger. I want to get all of them. They are doing a release in the format I want but I'm not sure I want to wait that long depending on the time frame between them all. At least that's what I saw when I went to get the second one on Amazon, it showed a release date of sept for the one I wanted like the first one. I hope that made sense.
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I read them all and now I have to go back and rethink the entire Rot & Ruin books. OMG!! The scene at the end of Rot & Ruin (view spoiler) You have just blown my mind, my friend!!
Melissa wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "Yeah, I'm in a lower gear myself. Arthritis and a knee replacement. Plus I got hurt a lot while working as a bodyguard. Stabbed, run over, chopped in the shoulder with a meat cleav..."Some of those events will be used in a new series of teen novels I'll be writing for Simon & Schuster, about a kid who wants to be a bodyguard.
Jonathan wrote: "There is a 5th ROT & RUIN book coming out on September 22: BITS & PIECES is a collection of short stories that parallels the four novels. It starts with Tom Imura on First Night and then follows se..."Already got that pre-ordered. Woot!!
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CAN. NOT. WAIT! I must have the hardcopy to go with the rest of my collection!
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Karen wrote: "I'm a huge fan of Joe Ledger! Younger and older! Who do you see as Joe Ledger (if you could have anyone play him in the movie)? Older Joe from BENNY IMURA series?"When I first created Joe I had Chris Evans (who was playing Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four movies) and Ryan Reynolds in mind. My dream casting changes all the time. Jeremy Renner and Thomas Jane have been front-runners, too.
However now we are actually developing a Joe Ledger TV show (based on EXTINCTION MACHINE, the 5th book), and we're meeting with actors for Joe and other roles. Can't spill any details at the moment.
Who do YOU think should play him?
Karen wrote: "Who are the people (or person) who have inspired you the most?"When I as in middle school I got to meet an get to know Ray Ray Bradbury and Richard Matheson. My school librarian knew them. Over the period of three years they gave me advice and encouragement. They will always be my greatest literary inspirations.
And on an ongoing basis, my wife, Sara Jo, inspires me to be the best person I can be, and the best writer I can be. I dedicate every one of my books to her.
Karen wrote: "Who are the people (or person) who have inspired you the most?"When I as in middle school I got to meet an get to know Ray Ray Bradbury and Richard Matheson. My school librarian knew them. Over the period of three years they gave me advice and encouragement. They will always be my greatest literary inspirations.
And on an ongoing basis, my wife, Sara Jo, inspires me to be the best person I can be, and the best writer I can be. I dedicate every one of my books to her.
Jonathan wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "Yeah, I'm in a lower gear myself. Arthritis and a knee replacement. Plus I got hurt a lot while working as a bodyguard. Stabbed, run over, chopped in the shoulder w..."AWESOME!! Ok, I need to quit saying that, but I love it. A new series and real life stuff involved!!
Jonathan wrote: "Karen wrote: "Who are the people (or person) who have inspired you the most?"When I as in middle school I got to meet an get to know Ray Ray Bradbury and Richard Matheson. My school librarian kne..."
That is so nice. There is not supposed to be tears here but I choke up real easy.
It is so wonderful that you got to have mentors and your wife being so supportive is so great!
I can see Jeremy Renner or Thomas Jane. But I have only known Joe in The Rot and Ruin and the way you described his size, particularly in the last book I was picturing someone similiar to John Cena
Then those other two are great. My brain won't think of anyone right now. I have got to get started on the series. Do you know anything about them putting the books out in the new format?
Melissa wrote: "Then those other two are great. My brain won't think of anyone right now. I have got to get started on the series. Do you know anything about them putting the books out in the new format?"
Which new format are you referring to?
When I went to order the paperback is said preorder for I think sept. It's the longer paperback. I got the first I one like that and thought they were all out that way but.... Maybe I'm just crazy, but I checked earlier. Ok, I just checked again and the first one is out for mass market paperback and the second is out fir pre order. The others are not. I bought the first that way and an anal about getting all books the same way. I hope they don't take too long to release them that way.
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At Phoenix ComiCon, you revealed a bit of news to me about a possible Fall of Night movie? Can you share with the member..."
WOW. You are a machine. Thanks for all you do for us readers! And thanks for answering my question about whether your books give you nightmares. Awesome Q&A so far! *goes to think up another crazy question*
Melissa wrote: "When I went to order the paperback is said preorder for I think sept. It's the longer paperback. I got the first I one like that and thought they were all out that way but.... Maybe I'm just crazy..."All of the ROT & RUIN books are in hardcover, trade paperback, eBook, and audio. No edition is longer or shorter than other formats. Not sure what is meant by a 'longer paperback'.
Jonathan wrote: "Melissa wrote: "When I went to order the paperback is said preorder for I think sept. It's the longer paperback. I got the first I one like that and thought they were all out that way but.... Mayb..."Sorry, I was talking about Joe Ledger. I have all of the Rot and Ruin.
The first Joe Ledger I bought in mass market paperback and it's not small like the normal mass market, it's kinda long,but that isn't important. When I went to buy the second Joe Ledger in mass market paperback it says pre order. The other Joe ledger books aren't available that way yet. I was just wondering if they were going to become available soon or if I should get the regular size paperback.
Sorry, I don't do too good with explanations and this tiny phone don't help with all of the corrections
The Joe Ledger novels don't change in content or length. There is a mass market paperback version, but it has exactly the same content as the standard trade paperback edition (and the eBook and audio). There are no abridged or expanded versions.The trade paperbacks are the standard versions for the whole Ledger series. The mass market editions are being rolled out as well (again, no change in content even though page numbering changes with different size pages). The second volume, DRAGON FACTORY, will debut this year. The other mass market volumes will come out at a rate of one per year, so it will be a while before they catch up with the trade paperbacks.
Currently there are seven Ledger novels in print (PATIENT ZERO; THE DRAGON FACTORY; THE KING OF PLAGUES; ASSASSIN'S CODE; EXTINCTION MACHINE; CODE ZERO; and PREDATOR ONE). There's also a collection of short stories, JOE LEDGER: SPECIAL OPS. An 8th Ledger novel is currently in the works, as well as an anthology of Ledger stories written by some of my writer friends (Sherrilyn Kenyon, Brian Keene, Joe McKinney, Larry Correia, Steve Alten, Rachel Caine, Dana Fredsti, Weston Ochse, and others).
Jonathan wrote: "The Joe Ledger novels don't change in content or length. There is a mass market paperback version, but it has exactly the same content as the standard trade paperback edition (and the eBook and aud..."Ok thank you. I'm so stupid. When I said longer, I meant in size of book. I'm really not good at explanations. Not page numbers but the length of the actual book, which I don't know why I mentioned as that's not important. I sure don't want to wait to get a book a year of the Joe Ledger series. I will get one of the other formats.
Thank you so much for your patience.
I'm going to be off the radar for a couple of hours. I'll check back later to see if there are more questions. Thanks, guys! This is fun.
Thank you so much :-)
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Jenny wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "I'm currently sitting on my ..."
The Zombie cards were a great idea! I love the contrast, to how the kids think of the zombie hunters in the beginning, and how that evolves over the series.
I collected trading cards as a kid too...NKOTB! (New Kids on the Block) LOL Yeah, I was a dumb tweenie girl :)
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WOW...that is CRAZY!! No wonder your novels have so much great action in them, you've experienced a lot first hand!
Jonathan wrote: "QUESTION: From Sherrie--Which character in the Benny Imura series do you identify most closely with? ANSWER: Benny’s experiences and attitudes are based on my our journey. When I was a kid I was ..."
Thanks so much for the in depth answer, Jonathan. I love that although you were raised in an environment that offered a limited world view that you chose to form your own opinions and views.With so much hatred in the world today your answer gives me hope that people can change if they choose too.
I love this series by the way and Benny is one of my favorite characters.
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Tell us a book (or two) that you think is amazing, a 5 star read, but deserves way more love than it gets.
I can't think of any good questions yet, so for now I'll just keep creeping through the Q&A lol!
David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite!
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Lunar Chronicles are pretty great. And...the Rot & Ruin books will be there waiting.